Tag: Subirats

On Saturday 20th July 2013, the XI Festival de Musica a les Vinyes, Subirats (Penedès Barcelona) opened with the music of the Argentinian quartet Rocio Faks and the guest saxophonist and flautist Gorka Benitez.

The captivating voice of Rocio Faks resonated powerfully within the walls of the courtyard outside the medieval manor house of Torre Ramona. Rocio’s voice was also accompanied by the virtuous pianist Marco Mezquida, the double-bass player Paco Perera and the percussionist Salvador Toscano.

Their music mirrored different geographical identities: a blend of sounds from traditional south-American melodies together with the influences of Jazz. The result was a concoction of new harmonies and rhythms. Breaking the frontiers of modern Jazz, Rocio Faks gifted the public with a superb performance.

The repertoire consisted of Chacarera based songs: this folkloristic Argentinian dance introduced the first notes but the music gradually built into jazz and instrumental percussion solos. An Argentinian Zamba opened the performance, followed by ‘Gatito y las penas’ where the flute appeared for the first time progressively giving way to the rhythmical solo of the drums and to the double-bass played with a bow as if it were a cello.

A traditional song from Uruguay was the most touching piece: ‘Oracion del Remanso’, a poem dedicated to the fishermen of the Rio Parana’. A couple of more Chacareras drew the spectators until the end when a breath-taking Tango (‘Sur’) and the final Peruvian dance Festejo ‘Ay va llorar’ closed the show.

The music of Rocio Faks quartet was engaging, heart-melting and made it possible to drift off from reality. The mellow voice of Faks paired wonderfully with the violent Chacarera beats of the percussions.

The evening ended with yet another pleasure: the ‘Patronat de Turisme de Subirats’ offered a tasting of Cavas showcasing different local producers. The cava was served with local peaches from Ordaland paired with coca (not to be confused with the drug :)) – a sweet pastry typically made and consumed in Catalonia.

The Patronat de Turisme de Subirats created the music festival to promote the unique wine culture and touristic importance of the Penedes. The cavistas whose Cavas we tried at the end of the night were: Sumarroca, El Mas Ferrer, Eudald Massan Noya, Cava Guilera,Castellroig and. 50 Great Cava producer, Llopart,

It was a warm and pleasant evening of music accompanied by the refreshing, bubbly notes of Cava and a jolly atmosphere: the people, the music and the wine joined together paying homage to the beauty of the lands of the Penedes.

Jazz. Wine. Are the two really related? That seems to be the question all abuzz at the moment in the Spanish wine-tourism community. Jazz and wine evenings are popping up all over the country but is this just a propaganda stunt or does the combination of jazz music and fine wine spark a hidden magic previously untapped?

To further investigate this intriguing possibility I recently attended the IX annual Festival de Musica a les vinyes organized by Patronat de Turisme de Subirats. Held at Torre-Ramona, upon first arrival I was welcomed by a cool summer breeze and an expertly crafted stage, the purple and blue lighting glittering along the sleek black surface of the Yamaha grand piano. The atmosphere held a hint of excitement and an air of ingenuity. I could feel the anticipation mounting as the hour drew to a close and Enrico Pieranunzitook to the stage. Silence fell over the audience as Pieranunzi’s fingers alighted on the keys. And…

Nestled next to the Penedès mountains and surrounded by old vines, the town of Torre – Ramona (Subirats) holds a captivating appeal. At the heart of the village lies an imposing three story house, which originally belonged to the richest family in the village and dates back to the 17th century. Servant houses nearly as old surround the expansive house and shelter it from the town square. Truly a perfect setting for a night of Cava and jazz music….

Summer is the perfect time to snack on fresh fruit, but a question I rarely ask myself is where that snack comes from. At home, I try to get most of my produce from farmer’s markets, but in Spain I decided to go straight to the farm itself.

The Olivella-Font Clara peach farm is located in heart of the well known Penedès & Cava wine producing region of Spain in the hamlet of Lavern, just 45 mins from Barcelona. Most of their crop is ready to pick by the end of June, and the season lasts until the end of August….

Twitter, Facebook, Blog… There’s a new era in communication of tourist activities at the web. A Tourist Board must manage all these applications to create community with their visitors. Presence on the net and use of Web 2.0 makes it possible. Experiences at Patronat de Turisme de Subirats, and Penedès wine catalonian region, will be explained